This invention is related to means for holding a wheel chair in a relatively fixed position within a school bus, and more particularly to such a holding device which is adjustable to compensate for variations in the lateral distance between the larger wheels of conventional wheel chairs.
School buses are employed for transporting handicapped children in wheel chairs. To prevent such a wheel chair from moving within the vehicle, particularly when the vehicle is passing through a curve or making a turn, means are mounted in the bus for holding the wheel chair in position. Commercially available devices usually engage the wheels of the wheel chair to prevent its motion within the bus body.
One problem with such commercially available devices is that they do not readily compensate for variances in the lateral distance between the larger wheels of chairs made by different manufacturers. In the event of a mismatch between the holding device and the wheels, sometimes only one wheel is engaged or the wheels are insufficiently locked into position thereby endangering the safety of the occupant of the wheel chair.